How do creationism and intelligent design account for the fact that moles have eyes that do not work?

Question

If they had no eyes I could see how one might argue they were made this way to live underground. But having an organ that no longer functions seems more readily explicable in evolutionary terms, is it not?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(animal)

It is interesting to see how the young-earth creationists, unable to answer the question, just try to distract you from the fact by asking other questions. I hope those who are tempted to follow young-earth creationism are paying close attention - in the end they have no answers.

Answer 1

The following comes from Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species" section on Laws of Variation.

The eyes of moles and of some burrowing rodents are rudimentary in size, and in some cases are quite covered by skin and fur. This state of the eyes is probably due to gradual reduction from disuse, but aided perhaps by natural selection. In South America, a burrowing rodent, the tuco-tuco, or Ctenomys, is even more subterranean in its habits than the mole; and I was assured by a Spaniard, who had often caught them, that they were frequently blind. One which I kept alive was certainly in this condition, the cause, as appeared on dissection, having been inflammation of the nictitating membrane. As frequent inflammation of the eyes must be injurious to any animal, and as eyes are certainly not necessary to animals having subterranean habits, a reduction in their size, with the adhesion of the eyelids and growth of fur over them, might in such case be an advantage; and if so, natural selection would aid the effects of disuse.

A variety of search queries, using "mole", "evolution", "Intelligent Design", "Creationism" and "eyes", in various combinations produced only results that used natural selection (evolution) to explain the blindness (or near blindness) of moles.

If the Creationists/Intelligent Design folks have an explanation, they're not distributing it very well. Looks like you may have them over a barrell :))

Let's see what they have to answer you with . . .

Answer 2

how do we know that there not used for something? do we know everything.

we also thought the earth was flat and that we could fall of of it.

explain why humans appreciate art, why we have a conscience? there useless to evolution. they would only hinder a species from survival from evolutions standpoint.


i would like someone to answer my questions since were on this subject. can any of you do that?


JAMES M, i noticed that you diverted attention from my questions b/c you could not answer them. i dont claim to be a scientist therefor i do not know the anatomy of a mole. however i am more familiar with humans since i am one. To put it bluntly you cannot answer my question b/c you obviously never had it cross your mind before. you have no explanation and you never will. Humans viewpoints on science change with history and man will always think they know it all until a few hundred years pass and a new way of thinking arises. Just know that in time people will think your an idiot for ever thinking the way you do.


One last point. It is noteworthy that you claim to be an assistant professor of religion. the Bible says that it is written so that only those with the correct heart condition can understand what the scriptures have to say. it does not matter how much a person studies them if they have the wrong heart condition they will never get the sense of it. I think its very funny that although you do not believe that you think your a scholor on the subject. what a joke! God would not let someone like yourself figure out the scriptures. as a matter of fact he even wrote that down for us in HIS word the Holy Bible. Get off your ego trip and humble yourself.

Answer 3

Safely & Permanently Remove Moles, Warts and Skin Blemishes

Answer 4

There are lots of examples of what are called vestigial organs in nature. Humans even have them (appendix is one). Whales have evidence of hip bones, some birds have wings that don't fly.

All it means is that sometime in the past, these organs were used for something. (For example, when we were hunters and gatherers, our appendix may have helped further digest rough foods in their diets). The disuse of vestigial organs has caused them to atrophy and become smaller over time. In another million years, you may see completely eyeless moles.

Answer 5

The Devil did it!

Um,

They were cursed at the fall of man for digging molehills in the garden of Eden!

Err,

The Lord moves in mysterious ways!



Edit: I can't believe the response of Anthony H above.
For years the creationists have said 'why can't we see anything in the process of evolving' Now that you give them an example they reject it and say 'but it should have finished by now'

What freeking idiots.

Answer 6

Humans don't have to eat raw meat anymore either, but we still have an appendix. Nothing stays they same, you either change with conditions or get left behind.

Natural selection has caused moles to find partners with better smelling abilities, eyesight was not a trait that helps them to survive, it is dispensable.

Answer 7

How does evolution account for the fact that humans haven't evolved into new for the past thousands of years? I mean evolutionist say we evolved from a lower form of life to present day man, so whats next for man or is this the end of evolution ( said in sarcasm )?

Answer 8

I know what the idiots will say "God works in mysterious ways." Or maybe the moles pissed off God and he took their sight. It'll be some specially retarded answer that only a true Christketeer could believe.

Answer 9

yes i you can see that they used to use there eyes thousands of years ago but the ones hu diverted there energy to other things like digging rather than seeing survived better evolution working

Answer 10

They are as useful as a pair of hands that can type, but don't really ask a question that they really want answered.

Life is just funny that way.